Tennessee is one of the most beautiful states to appreciate fall color, with nudges of occasional summer temperatures to keep the chill at bay. It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy our great outdoors, try a new adventure, and sip fireside after the sun goes down. Follow this itinerary across the state to experience everything the Tennessee Whiskey Trail and Tennessee State Parks have to offer.
Northeast / East Tennessee
Warriors’ Path State Park
Sip: This state park is within driving distance to seven nearby distilleries. It’s the perfect place to base yourself for a night or two, giving you time to try them all. Visitors can learn a bit about the history of whiskey (and bootlegging) in the mountains. There is literally a distillery here called Bootleggers. It’s not just a stereotype from movies, y’all.
Spend a long weekend or more exploring all the tastes of Bootleggers Distillery, Lost State, Ole Smoky,Sugarlands Distilling, Old Forge, Junction 35 Spirits, TN Legend, Old Tennessee, and Company Distilling. Pick a favorite, or don’t. Appreciate them all for their uniqueness, history, and variety you can only find in and around the Smokies.
Explore: Warrior’s Path State Park, which was so-named as it was once part of the Great Cherokee War and Trading Path, offers 950 acres of outdoor adventures. Their new marina is the place to go for kayaking, paddle boarding, or fishing, and Duck Island has the ideal hiking loop at sunset. For those who want a faster pace, check out over 12.5 miles of mountain biking trails or ride your horse along scenic woodland trails.
Stay: Camping in the fall is one of the best ways to truly experience and enjoy the region, and Warriors’ Path offers three amazing options. Their new Moody Bluff Campground is equipped with spacious RV sites, including water, electric, and sewer hookups—plus the ultimate camping luxury, heated showers!
Another cool option at this park is the Cedar Ridge Hammock Campground. It’s the first site in the entire State Park system made entirely from repurposed materials, including salvaged lumber from the state park itself. It’s entirely waste-free and self-sustaining. If you want to be one with nature, this is where you can start.
Knoxville Area
Frozen Head State Park
Sip: Following I-81 to I-40 through Knoxville, be sure to take a rest stop in Old City Knoxville. PostModern Spirits takes visitors into the 130+ year old Jackson Terminal on their tour, and their tasting room gives sippers access to creative, thoughtful, craft drinks. Then stretch your legs and walk a couple of blocks to Knox Whiskey Works. Head into their tasting room to compare and contrast the best of all their spirits, and try a flight of four house-made cocktails.
After sampling the city whiskeys, take some back roads through the mountain towns (including the atomically-charged Oak Ridge), and find your way to Brushy Mountain Distillery. Did I say distillery? I meant former state penitentiary. It’s both. Take the tour and enjoy a tasting. But most of all, don’t forget to buy yourself a bottle of their Scared Straight Moonshine.
Explore: Everyone loves a spooky story in the fall, one that’s even better if it’s true. Luckily for visitors, Frozen Head State Park has one. Back when the Brushy Mountain Distillery was a maximum security prison, James Earl Ray, the man convicted of killing Martin Luther King, Jr., escaped and hid out in Frozen Head State Park for 55 hours before being captured by local police and the FBI.
For the less-convicted visitor, Frozen Head State Park offers truly beautiful hikes with views that will take your breath away. Hike up to the Fire Tower they’re known for, hike the Panther Branch and Emory Gap trails for waterfall views, and hike the North Old Mac Trail for impressive mountain views along the way. For a taste of “home,” take a look around the Stonecipher-Kelly House while you’re there. It’s the oldest standing home in all of Morgan County.
Stay: Backpackers can truly “rough it” as they like at Frozen Head’s variety of backcountry campsites. There are also 20 rustic campsites with hot showers and running water for campers who prefer something with more amenities.
Chattanooga Area
Hiwassee / Ocoee Scenic River State Park
Sip: Make your way south to Chattanooga, TN, which has been experiencing a revival in recent years. Formerly best-known for its Choo Choo, Chatty is now both a trendy destination and a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Even better? It’s home to two distilleries for your sipping pleasure.
Gate 11 Distillery specializes in flavors—classic, unique, seasonal, you get the picture. They’re also located in the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo Terminal Station. A tour and tasting here will be both atmospheric and flavorful.
Speaking of history, Chattanooga Whiskey was the first distillery in 100 years to open up operations in Chattanooga. You’ll definitely want to take a tour (and enjoy a tasting) at their Experimental Distillery in the heart of town. Hamilton County was not originally included in 2009 changes to distilling laws in Tennessee, but they made it their mission to bring distilling back to their home county. They did it.
Explore: Known for its rugged beauty, Hiwasee / Ocoee Scenic River State Park is the perfect place for the true adventurer. Their rapids are world-renown for white water rafting, boating Class I, II, III, IV, and V rapids. It’s crucial to emphasize that this activity should be undertaken sober, guided by a professional. Once you safely navigated these rivers, you can then reward yourself with that well-deserved whiskey.
Not into rapids or just want something a little different? Take a moderate hike to Gee Creek Falls, and then continue into Cherokee National Forest. It’s the perfect place to spend a day as a photographer, hiking enthusiast, and even with your trusty dog—the trail is pet-friendly!
Stay: If that’s not enough great outdoors for you, plan to stay at one of the state park’s 47 primitive sites at Gee Creek Campground. Bring your tent or small trailer and set up your forest home. All sites include a dedicated fire ring, table, and grill, perfect for a campfire meal.
Fall Creek Falls State Park
Explore: Also in the vicinity of Chattanooga, Fall Creek Falls State Park is one of Tennessee’s most popular. Adventure seekers will jump at the chance to try out the Canopy Challenge Course and brave the suspension bridge. Or perhaps you’d prefer a scenic waterfall hike, then an afternoon of incredible rock climbing. You can also find 24 miles of mountain biking trails, and Fall Creek Falls Lake is prime for kayaking, canoeing, or paddleboating. Whatever your taste for adventure, Fall Creek Falls has what you’re craving.
Stay: Fall Creek Falls also offers the full gambit of accommodations. Visitors can reserve campsites, cabins, RV sites with full hook-ups, and a beautiful lakeside lodge. Cabins are also either lakeside or in the woods, whichever scenery and experience you prefer.
Cookeville Area
Standing Stone State Park
Sip: Take Route 111 North to the charming town of Cookeville. Here, you’ll find a local vibe, college town energy, and Tennessee Legend Distillery. Named for the legendary moonshiners the founders heard about growing up, they actually have four locations around the state. Tennessee Legend offers tastings seven days a week so you can choose your favorite moonshine, vodka, or whiskey.
Explore: A short drive north will take you to Standing Stone State Park, so-named for a 12-foot tall stone that once marked the boundary line between two Indian nations. Visitors can explore over eight miles of hiking trails, cross the suspension bridge across the front of the dam, try their hand at paddling on the lake, or chase the waterfalls at nearby Cummins Falls State Park as well.
Stay: Standing Stone State Park offers the most adorable, historic cabin accommodations to visitors. They are truly the best of both worlds, between the historic nature of the cabins, plus modern features like upgraded kitchen and—yes—wifi! For those who prefer to rough it, there are also campsites and RV sites available at the park. There is also a group lodge large enough to accommodate groups of up to 48 people.
Edgar Evins State Park
View of Center Hill Lake at Edgar Evins State Park during Fall.
Sip: A drive to Short Mountain Distillery will take you to a bygone era, where folks are friendly and whiskey is a way of life. Visitors can take a distillery tour (and tasting, of course), cocktail making class, and dine at their on-site restaurant while they’re here. There’s even a mule ride for those way under (or over) 21 to enjoy. Adventure-seekers will also be excited to find they have access to Short Mountain’s Cooper Cave Spring Trail to see the distillery’s preservation efforts and how they give back to the land.
Explore: Before you head to Short Mountain, be sure to stop at Edgar Evins State Park along the way. With 6,000 acres and access to Center Hill Lake, every active traveler can find something they’ll love to do. You could explore the Highland Rim hiking trail for gorgeous fall foliage, paddle the Caney Fork River in a canoe or kayak, and even register for a guided pontoon boat tour offered intermittently by the park. Looking for falling water as opposed to a lake? Head to nearby Burgess Falls State Park—you’ll pass three waterfalls on the 1/2 mile hike before you even get to the big one at the end of the trail!
Keep an eye out for their resident bald eagles, then get a bird’s eye view from the top of the Visitor Center Tower while you’re at it. And when the sun goes down (earlier and earlier in fall, you know), be sure to look up. Edgar Evins State Park is known for its stargazing, particularly from the parking lot above the courtesy dock.
Stay: This state park is a great one to base yourself for a night or two. They offer cabins, primitive tent camping sites, and elevated campsites for RVs and tents.
South Central Tennessee
Tims Ford State Park
Sip: Continuing south, be sure to sample some of Tennessee’s most well-known distilleries. Award-winning Uncle Nearest Distillery dates back to 1856, while relative new-comer Big Machine Distillery is owned by Music City music moguls Scott & Mark Borchetta. George Dickel’s Cascade Hollow Distillery actually uses water from its own, on-property cascade spring—now that’s local at its most refreshing.
Prichard’s Distillery actually offers completely free tours and tastings, showing their true southern hospitality. And every whiskey enthusiast (and tee-totaler) is familiar with Lynchburg, TN’s, own Jack Daniel’s Distillery. Just make sure you save room for a chess pie at Miss Mary Bobo’s while you’re there.
Explore: Tims Ford State Park is unique in that it’s largely made up of islands and lake shoreline. In fact, Tims Ford Reservoir is one of the top recreational lakes in the Southeast United States. Boating, jet skiing, kayaking, and canoeing are all popular into the fall season, and for landlubbers, the park offers over 30 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails.
Looking for something more refined, yet challenging? How about a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course? The 18 holes at the Bear Trace at Tims Ford golf course are beautiful with the reservoir in the background, and yet challenging in that the water is incorporated onto the course.
Stay: If you want a bit of adventure in your stay, be sure to reserve one of the paddle-in campsites on the islands on Tims Ford Lake. Their two-bedroom cabins also offer inspiring glimpses of the fall foliage by the lake as well. Three additional campgrounds offer sites for RVs and tents with Fairview Campground offering sites with full-hookups and lake views.
Central & West Tennessee
Montgomery Bell State Park
Sip: Head northwest, through Nashville, to make your way up to Clarksville, TN. Just four miles from the Kentucky State Line, and near Fort Campbell U.S. Army Base, Old Glory Distilling Co. is the all-American distillery you’ve been wanting to visit. Their desire to give back to their community comes through in their distilling and manufacturing processes, including giving back to local farmers and creating jobs.
Don’t miss their tour and tasting—the attention to detail that comes with small batch distilling means a high-quality product that might surprise you.
Explore: Take the backroads from Old Glory until you reach Montgomery Bell State Park. You may feel like you’re lost in the most beautiful forest, but really you’re at Montgomery Bell State Park. This is a beautiful place to hike, mountain bike, or even golf, but the real treasures here are the three recreational lakes. Active travelers can swim, kayak, canoe, and even take pedal boats out for a day of fun on the water!
Stay: Montgomery Bell State Park offers tent camping sites, RV sites, and backcountry camping sites (for the “roughing it” travel style). Or, if you’re looking for something with a few more “creature comforts” after a long day of adventures, consider the stunning Lodge at Montgomery Bell, right on Lake Acorn or one of the spacious cabins with an outdoor fireplace.
Memphis Area
Meeman Shelby Forest State Park
Sip: From there, keep making your way west, through the West Tennessee Plains. You’re heading to Memphis! Old Dominick Distillery has a long and storied history in Memphis, and in 2017, they were the first to (legally) distill whiskey in Memphis since Prohibition. Their distillery tour tells the tale and ends with a curated tasting of Old Dominick’s spirits to help you choose the one (or several) that you’ll want to take home with you.
Explore: Finish your trip across Tennessee with a fun day (or two or three!) at Meeman Shelby Forest State Park. Visitors can go mountain biking or play a round of disc golf in the morning, then paddle on the mighty Mississippi in the afternoon. Or, if you want something totally different and out-of-the-box, take a swamp tour! The park offers intermittent paddling tours on Bald Cypress Swamp during the warmer months. There’s no telling what you’ll see in the depths, y’all.
Stay: Meeman Shelby has campsites for both tents and RVs (with electric and water hookups), as well as cabins peacefully situated on Poplar Tree Lake.
A journey across the state of Tennessee is the perfect fall trip. With so many diverse outdoor activities and such a robust whiskey distilling culture, there’s an adventure for every activity level, and a sip for every taste.
Whitney O’Halek, Travel Writer
Whitney O’Halek grew up in the hills of Middle Tennessee and has since traveled to over 60 countries. She is an accomplished travel writer, author of nine books, and co-owner of the Israel travel company, Elevation Journeys. You can follow her journeys at quickwhittravel.com and @quickwhittravel on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
